Tainted Hearts
by The-Freckled-Mouse
Summary: The city watch patrolled the streets. The overseers were hunting me for a crime I didn't commit. Weepers roamed the sewers and the rats thrived. I was all that was left of my family and I had to fend for myself. Survival was all that seemed to matter. Comments are appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Tainted Hearts

Chapter 1

In the months that followed the death of the empress, my life, like everyone else, had changed. The rat plague got worse and spread through Dunwall like a wild fire, but in my opinion it was much more brutal and merciless. The city guards and Overseers prowled the streets, which didn't give me many options when it came to scavenging. It was no secret that the weepers roamed the sewers below and I wouldn't dare go down there. There weren't many survivors left that didn't work for the Lord Regent, city watch or street gangs. Simple folk like myself were left to waste away. No one cared, especially the Overseers. Over time I noticed that they became paranoid over the Outsider and took away anyone who was hinted to have practiced black magic. It was always people like me though, survivors. No noble was ever accused.

I once saw one of the mansions further up Dunwall. I remembered the lights and heard the sounds of people cheering and the tap of raised glasses in celebration. I always wondered why the rich were so cheerful in such troubled times. Perhaps it was because their life hadn't changed much. I knew they ill-favored commoners and to them the plague was probably a gift rather than a curse. Perhaps it was a charade that distracted them from the nightmare I had to live. Perhaps, to them, ignorance was bliss.

A low howl brought me out my thoughts.

My thumb circled my teardrop-shaped pendant. It was the only thing I had left of value that reminded me of my family.

I watched as the two masked men patrolled the streets with their wolfhound. Sporadically, the wolfhound spotted something in the dark and dashed over to investigate. I waited for those moments. My fear was that the Overseers would find me.

The building to my left, abandoned, but I saw its open window and hope fluttered in my chest. I bit my lip and carefully crept past the empty whiskey bottles scattered across the streets. I tried my best to stay away from the lamps that hung motionlessly in the evening air.

Rats scurried past my feet, mostly likely in search of their next meal. It was strange how we had that in common. The window ledge was low enough for me to climb through. I hoped that no one noticed.

The hallway was how I expected: covered in a fine layer of dust with most of the doors boarded up. The house was unsurprisingly cold, the air whistled through the cracks in the walls and nipped at my skin. The floorboards creaked under my weight and my eyes searched for any valuables that could have been left when the previous owners abandoned the place.

One of the doors was parted and led to a bedroom. The burgundy drapes and chipped flooring reminded me of my home. I remembered the light shone through the window each morning and the annoying yet strangely amusing laughter of children outside. My younger sister would sometimes wander in if I had missed breakfast. She would try everything to get me to wake up.

The room gently turned back to the way it was; the drapes were torn in a variety of places, the window left cracked and broken and the floor covered in dried blood. Images of fire, the house aflame and my parents' screams appeared in my mind. I was trapped in the room, the only chance I had was to escape through the window, but as the smoke rose I heard my father scream my name. He was on the other end of the door when-

The sound of broken glass filled my ears. The memory faded and I saw the smashed vase on the floor beside me. I must have knocked it over. I waited for a few moments to make sure no one had heard and then collected the pieces and placed them back on the table. I didn't want to remember the past and yet the memories seemed to always resurface.

_'Why can't I just forget?'_ I thought.

Some of the cupboards were empty but surprisingly there was food in the wardrobe.

_'Why would someone hide food in here of all places?'_ I wondered.

I stuffed the clothes and food into my sack. I was glad to have found some sort of food and clothing. I couldn't remember the last time I ate a decent meal.

The thundering noise echoed through the darkness; the repeated drumming of wood and turning metal made me realise that I was not alone. I pulled my knife out and held my breath.

"Open up. We know you're in there!" the man's voice was shrill, spine-tingling, like nails on a chalkboard. My grip on the weapon tightened. "It's no use. Get this door open."

"Shit," I cursed.

Before I knew it the men flung themselves at the door. I grabbed the sack and jumped out of the window. My body trembled when it hit the ground.

"There she is! There's the witch!" the Overseer screamed.

The world around me shook and blurred; grey and black filled my vision as I raced through the labyrinth of buildings. A burning sensation filled my lungs and I gasped for air. My heart drummed fiercely beneath my aching ribs and I knew that if it had not been for the adrenaline that coursed through my veins, I would have passed out, left to the fate of my hunters. They were so close that I could practically feel their heavy breaths against my neck. Their angry calls drowned out all other sounds. They tormented me with false promises if I surrendered to them. I knew better than to stop.

A war between exhaustion and survival ravaged my body, each as constant and demanding as the other. I didn't want to consider what might happen if, or maybe when, they caught me. The shouts of my pursuers continued. Distracted by them, my leg was pulled back and thrashed in all directions.

"Get off of me!" I shrieked; the appearance of the wolfhound almost paralyzed me with fear.

The animal loosened its grip. The Overseers closed in on me, their swords pointed at my chest and their twisted masks hid the smirks I knew they had. The hound circled us and the Overseers looked between one another.

"What should we do with her?" one of them asked, his voice dripped with venom.

The other pointed to the alleyway. "We'll take her back to the Abbey. Those were the orders."

He slowly turned to me, took off his mask and frowned. "To think we've spent two weeks looking for you, woman." His dark eyes, hidden under dark circles, narrowed. "Not so tough now, are ya?"

I gritted my teeth and carefully pulled out my knife. He reached for me but before he could react I lashed out. He growled when the knife slashed his cheek and drew back. A fine trail of crimson slid down his face and covered his hand.

"You bitch!"

I forgot about the other Overseer and within a few moments a sharp pain ran through the back of my head. My eyes darkened and I fell to the floor.

"You'll pay for that!" the Overseer yelled.

I stilled at the wolfhound's low growl and the ear-piercing screech the Overseer's sword made against the stone. I covered my face and waited for his inevitable strike.

"What the-?" the Overseer cried. I forced my hands away and watched with disbelieving eyes.

White and black figures drew into the light. Long, disfigured tails trailed behind them. Their beady eyes were attentive, they watched as the Overseer staggered back. Their jagged fangs became more pronounced and when the Overseer fell they knew it was their time to strike. Arms and legs were flung in all directions as the rats conquered him. Chunks of flesh were ripped from the body, some of the rats left their pack; satisfied with their part of the meal.

The other Overseer stared at his friend with wide eyes and even when the wolfhound tried to help he didn't move. He was frozen in place and all colour drained from his cheeks.

The light ringing that plagued my ears dragged me out of my state. It was difficult to focus, black spots warped my vision and my head span but I managed to pull myself up with the use of a nearby wall.

The man's cry was soon a distant echo, but it might have been because he had lost the will to speak. The sack fell from my shoulders and I rubbed my forehead.

"Thank the Outsider I got out of there," I sighed in relief.

"You're going nowhere, witch!"

With a pained grunt the Overseer lifted me into the air.

"You are going to pay for what you've done!" His expression reminded me of the look a wild animal gave its prey before it ripped its throat open.

"Let me go!" I screamed.

I struggled against him with the little energy I had left. My foot came in contact with his groin and my fist hit his cheek. He slumped against the wall; his eyes tightly shut. I took that as my chance to leave. I grabbed my sack and ran away. I didn't stop until I was sure I was safe.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

_Overseer Warren..._

There was a faint patter of water and the hammer of heavy boots against the ground. The place I was in, wherever it was, had the familiar musty scent of an opened, three week old brined hagfish tin, mixed with the unforgettable stench of wolfhound. I must have been near the kennels. My eyes parted for the briefest moment, but in that moment I was able to make out two shadows, both looking down at me.

"Are you awake?" a man asked. I felt pressure on both shoulders and the world rocked from side to side. "Warren? Brother Warren, can you hear me?"

My eyes flew open at the mention of my name. Familiar faces stared back with surprised expressions. I winced at the sharp pain in my head and Brother Adams pushed me back against the bed.

"Careful, you were in poor condition when we found you."

I blinked several times, unable to recollect any memories. "Where... am I?"

"You are back at the Abbey, brother. In the barracks."

"The barracks?" My mind started to clear and I met his worried gaze. "What happened?"

I noticed another figure move and the corners of my mouth twitched.

"We were going to ask you the same question," Jones said with a one sided smirk.

"You were due back here hours ago," Adams explained. "We found what we think is Brother Ervin, but it is hard to tell because there isn't much left of him."

Memories of the rats filled my mind as did the screams Ervin made. I held my head in my hands and let out a shaky breath. "He... he's gone, then?"

Adams nodded. "Sorry Warren, I know he was your friend."

A flash of red filled my mind as did a face.

"It was her fault," I muttered, unable to contain the bitterness in my voice.

Both Adams and Jones looked between each other, their lips set in a fine line. The image of the woman's face faded from my mind and with it, some of my anger.

"What are you talking about? What woman?"

"Ervin and I had orders. We were sent to track down some woman by the name of Katherine Sinnett," I sighed and unclenched my fist. "Her family was rumored to have practiced black magic a couple of months back, but from what I know, her family was killed in a house fire. She survived."

"And these were the orders from Brother Devitt?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"So, what happened?" Jones asked and leaned closer, obviously interested.

"I don't know. I heard sounds coming from one of the buildings. Ervin knocked on the door I saw her jump out of the window."

"But what happened to leave Brother Ervin in such a state?" Adams interrupted.

I held my hand up. "I'm getting to that part. The woman led us to an alleyway where she must have cast some sort of spell. Rats came out of nowhere and started to attack Ervin. I went after her. I fell back and must have hit my head on something. That's all I remember."

Adams slowly stroked his bearded chin. "It sounds like she has the Outsiders influence."

"Did you see her cast the spell?" Jones asked.

I frowned. "No, I didn't see her do it, but there is no other explanation. The rats didn't attack her."

Adams slowly crossed his arms. "I see."

There was a dull pain in my left cheek. My hand gently traced the outline of it.

Jones half smirked, half grimaced. "That cut looks pretty bad. Looks like the witch can put up a fight."

"Whatever, Jones."

Adams looked between the two of us, pinched the bridge of his nose and rose from his seat. "Brother Devitt was looking for you, probably about your orders. He should be out on patrol in Holger Square. I'd go and find him if I were you."

I looked down at my fists and noticed that the knuckles had turned white. I exhaled and uncurled my fingers. "Alright."

Both Jones and Adams headed out the barracks. I was left to my thoughts.

I couldn't get the images of Ervin out of my mind. I was a coward to have stood and watched as he was eaten alive. I had seen worse things than that, far worse and yet I did nothing to prevent his fate. If anything, I should have ended his misery, but I didn't. Instead I went after the woman and left him to die. My anger blinded me. My orders were to bring her back alive and yet once I saw the rats my thoughts turned to murder.

"Void take her," I spat.

Outside, the pitiless rain fell with a fierce force that almost threw me back into the barracks. The sharp sparks of light attempted to pierce the blackened sky. Rain water flooded the majority of the back yard and even the three Overseers that patrolled the area had trouble getting through. The other Overseers, I assumed, had turned in for the night.

Under the cover of the buildings, hidden in the smallest corners were the rats. I was surprised by how many there were and by how hard the wolfhounds tried to kill them, only to be pulled back by their masters. I tried to stay as far away from the rats as possible. Any movement on their part made the hairs on the back of my neck stand.

I stopped in the middle of Holger Square at seeing Brother Devitt by the tall monument outside of the Abbey's office building. I cleared my throat, straightened my back and stepped forward.

"Ah, Brother Warren. It's good to see you're awake," he said, his words feigned. We both knew his true feelings. I was sure he regretted the fact that I was still alive. "The woman was not with you so I must assume that she is dead, correct?"

My fingers twitched. "No, she got away."

His eyes widened. "Really?" His surprise almost sounded genuine. "And how could you let this happen?"

I bit my tongue, literally. "It wasn't my fault, sir. The woman used some sort of magic on us. We were no match."

"And yet you came back with minor injuries, unlike your associate, what was his name? William? Scott?"

"Beg your pardon sir but his name was Ervin, and yes, but only because I chased her down when she tried to escape."

"But she escaped anyway, correct?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Which makes you responsible."

"Yes."

Brother Devitt lightly tapped his chin. It was hard to figure out his thoughts as his eyes were turned away from me.

A moment later he crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side. "You know I don't like you Warren. Ever since you joined the order you have been a thorn in my side and I have waited for the day you would make a mistake, but I did not think it would be like this. If that woman is not apprehended or killed, we both get the blame. That is not something I'm going to let happen, so, I'm giving me the chance to leave us and hunt her down."

I was taken aback by that. "What?"

He turned so that he had his back to me. "You have two hours before I make you leave. Don't bother coming back until she has been dealt with."

I reluctantly bowed my head and walked away.

I knew if the woman wasn't captured then it would draw the attention of the other Overseers. As an Overseer myself, I had a responsibility to protect people from the Outsider's tyranny. If one person baring the corruption of the Outsider was left to wander the streets of Dunwall, who knew how far the Outsider's influence could spread. Whatever happened with the woman, magic or not, she had to be captured or killed. If any of the other Overseers found out that I had not dealt with her (seen as a simple task by some), then they could start to doubt my position as an Overseer. That was something I could not allow to happen.

There was also what happened to Ervin. He was my friend, and even though I should have helped prevent his fate, it was her fault for summoning those demonic creatures in the first place. I was honor bound to get revenge. I owed him that much.

An hour later I had gathered what supplies I would need for the mission and headed to the streets. The previous storm had calmed and all that was left was the occasional rain droplet or two. I had hoped to leave without rousing attention, but I should have known that Brother Jones would find me.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked as I was about to leave Holger Square.

I rolled my eyes. "I've been given permission to leave the Abbey for a while. I'm under orders so I'm going to have to go, Jones."

"So soon after what happened? I'm not stupid, Warren, what's going on?"

I wiped the sweat from my brow and pulled my mask down. "It's just business. Nothing for you to worry about."

"I don't believe you."

"Well there's nothing you can do about it."

"Is this about the witch?"

I shook my head at the younger man. He didn't understand. "Look, it's my fault that Ervin was killed. The least I can do is stop the woman from killing anyone else. I have to do this."

"I know," he sighed. "But you're a stubborn fool."

He placed his hand on my shoulder. "Just watch yourself out there. The Abbey isn't going to be the same if you get killed."

I smiled. "Don't worry about me, Jones. I'll be back."

"Good luck to you then. Remember the seven strictures and you will not fail. May all the spirits guide you and may our enemy be sent to the Void where she belongs."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_Katherine..._

In the distance was the crumbled ruin I called home, relief and exhaustion slowly took over. The place was its usual dark and dreary self. The chipped bricks and smashed windows made the place look worse than it actually was, but it was nothing like my previous home. At nights it was always cold, like how I imagined Tyvia would be but without the snow and frost. When I first found the house, it looked like it had been dropped from the sky over a hundred years ago. Even the improvements I managed to make barely made any difference, like the use of the bookshelves to replace the shattered glass and the tables to cover the gaps in the walls so the rats couldn't get in. To be honest, I knew I was lucky. Most buildings housed dead bodies, tied in white bed sheets. Others were abandoned, but they weren't in a safe area.

I turned the key in the lock and with a high-pitched creak the door opened. My eyes darted to the empty chair and without even thinking I moved towards it, my feet dragged behind me. The sack on my shoulder fell with a heavy thud and I flew into the arms of the chair.

I shouldn't have risked scavenging the district. It was too close to the Abbey and I knew when I saw those two Overseers that I should have left, but I didn't and I almost got caught. I was stupid, but also desperate. It was at times like that that I thought back to my life before the plague, I thought about my family and even what my father would have thought if he saw me like I was.

I missed him. Out of my family, he was the one I was close to. If only he didn't die in the fire.

_"Katherine, get out of here!" Father yelled amidst the chaos._

_"What? No, Papa-"_

_I remembered how the blanket of flame ignited the bedroom door and blinded my sight. It growled and shrieked as it tore through the house with a fierce fury, similar to a caged animal. Father tried to suppress his coughs and shout loud enough for me to hear._

_"Katherine... you... need to get out of here!"_

_I heard the flames tear through the attic, strips of white paint flaked off of the walls of the bedroom._

_"B-But what about mother, and Elizabeth, and you? I-I can't-" _

_"We'll... we'll be... fine. Get out of here and whatever you... do, do not let the... the Overseers find you!"_

_I was going to argue back, but at that point the seared heat had started to carve burns into my skin and the acrid smoke had wrapped around my throat. It was almost impossible to breath and I was at the point where most of my rational thoughts had left my mind, replaced with ones of survival. My body was a battering ram. I threw myself at the window until the hinges flew off and it burst open. The last words I heard my father say were 'do not let the Overseers find you,' before I climbed down the drainpipe and made my escape._

Most of the memories after that were a blur.

A sudden wave of sadness overcame me. Life wasn't going to be the same. I blinked back the tears that had started to form in my eyes and ran a shaky hand through my hair.

Something heavy landed on my lap and I heard the sharp intakes of breath. I opened one eye and smiled at the loveable eyes that stared back.

"Let me guess, you're hungry?" I sighed. Lucky barked in reply.

I groaned at the pain in my legs and limped over to the sack of supplies. I pulled out a tin of potted whale meat and emptied it into the wolfhound's dish. Lucky jumped straight at the bowl and gobbled the food down as if it was his first meal in weeks.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't eat so fast or you'll make yourself sick."

As expected he didn't listen, merely tilted his head to the side and then went back to the food.

I found the poor wolfhound wandering the streets a few days after I had found the house. He was alone and had injured his leg pretty badly. He was hard to get close to, he even bit me once, but when I gained his trust he stayed with me. I was glad I had found him when I did. He was good company. If I didn't have him I was sure I would have lost my sanity. I often wondered where he came from. I knew the Overseers kept wolfhounds, but Lucky was much friendlier than the ones I came across.

I turned to sit by the furnace with a blanket wrapped around my shoulders. Once Lucky was finished with his meal he plodded over and sat next to me. I stared at the embers of the fire as they flew into the chimney and after a few moments, allowed my eyes to flicker shut.

By the time I awoke the moon had risen from behind the district's buildings. I looked at the tattered journal by the furnace and picked it up along with an ink pot and quill.

_Entry Fifteen_

_I'm still alive, which is good. Though, I've forgotten how long it's been since the plague started. I... I can't even remember the date. Lucky and I are still here, still living in this place, at least until there is no more food to scavenge. I almost got caught by some Overseers, hit one pretty badly with my knife and the other, well; I doubt he'll be coming after me._

_It was really strange, though. A swarm of rats came out of nowhere and killed one of them. I've never seen anything quite like it. I've noticed that there are more and more rats and they are becoming more feral. I don't know why and I know it sounds mad but I'm sure of it. I've never seen rats take on a full grown man before, especially a gang. Something's happening to the city, whether the result of the plague has yet to be seen._

_For now I guess I'll carry on surviving, like I have much choice. Sometimes I think that this is all some twisted nightmare and that I'll soon wake up back at home in a warm bed instead of a flee ridden mattress. Deep down I know this is real, but it's nice to think that everything will go back to the way it was._

_~ Katherine Sinnett, age twenty two, Dunwall._

Lucky whined beside me and I lightly patted his head. The journal fell from my hands and I hid further under the blanket. As the light of the furnace started to go out and the room turned to black, my eyes drifted shut and I allowed sleep to take me once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Overseer Warren..._

Dark, dingy and dripping with unseen dangers, derelict buildings formed the alleyway that didn't seem to have an end. I tried to tell myself that it was just a gap between two rows of old terraced houses built decades ago, but the look of it was cold and uninviting. Shuffling vermin held claim to the place, it was their domain. By the look of the half-eaten corpse I guessed that the path was dangerous, but I knew I had no choice but to enter the alley. The alleyway was the only way to get to the other side of the district without alerting the city watch. I had to take the risk.

The further I walked, the stronger the smell of stale urine and faeces entered my nose, even through the mask. It was at times like that that I envied the Whalers in the flooded district. What I wouldn't have given to have had a gas mask.

Around the corner stood a large, heavy oak gate that blocked the majority of the path. The windows at the rear of the houses were sealed off and it seemed that the only way through was through the gate. I should have figured that someone had locked it from the other side, though.

The gate creaked as I climbed the wooden bars, but just as I made it to the top, something snapped. The wood crumbled beneath me and I hit the ground, head first.

"You have got to be kidding me," I groaned. The sky span in a variety of directions and I had trouble regaining my breath.

"Well, now, would you look at that," a raspy voice taunted. I tilted my head in the direction of the two men, both wore mud-covered shirts and torn pants. They both stared down at me in interest. "What's an Overseer like you doin' in our territory, huh?"

I calmly stood and wiped the dust from my trousers. "That's none of your business, but if I was you two I would leave, or risk having to deal with the Abbey."

The smaller man crossed his arms and took a step forward. "And, uh, where are ya buddies, hmm?"

"I think he's alone, boss."

"I can see that, numb-skull!" he yelled and smacked his friend across the head. "As I was sayin', anything could happen to a lone Overseer wanderin' the streets, and the Abbey hasn't been too kindly to our friends lately."

"And how is that my problem?" I asked, not fazed by their foolish attempt of intimidation. "Look, I'm not looking for trouble. In fact, I'm willing to let you two go, in exchange for information."

The man was amused by that. He touched the tip of his chin. "Let us go? Ha! How badly did you hit your head? There's two of us and one of you. You don't stand a chance!"

The tip of my blade slashed the taller man's stomach. His eyes grew wild. A scream and an ungodly ringing shot through my ears. For the briefest moment I had no control of my body and watched as I collapsed. A minute later, I realised that the bastard must have hit me on the head. The pain slowly started to fade but soon reappeared in more force. The man kicked me, first in my head and then in the stomach.

"Damn Overseer!" he yelled through gritted teeth.

My eyes searched the ground for a weapon and when my hands touched something heavy, something with sharp edges; I didn't hesitate to smack it across the man's face. The broken bottle smashed and the man cried out, parts of the glass were lodged into his cheeks.

I grabbed my sword and used the hilt to hit his face again. The man slumped to the ground and gasped.

With a pained grunt I lifted him into the air.

"Now, about... our deal..." I panted and tried to ignore the ache in my limbs.

"W-What do you want to know?" he stuttered, his fingers touched the area where his tooth had been knocked out.

I freed my hands and let him fall. "I'm looking for a red haired woman, young looking and probably worshipping the Outsider. Have you seen her?"

The man barked out a laugh, something I didn't expect. "I think you better go and search the Golden Cat, buddy. Plenty of whores there for ya and I even bet that some of them are worshipping the Outsider."

I gritted my teeth. I didn't have time for such a fool. "This is serious Abbey business. Either tell me what you know or I'll be forced to kill you were you stand."

"Wait, wait, hold on there buddy!" the man pleaded with his hands in the air. "I think I do remember seeing a red haired woman. Yeah, she tried to steal from a friend of mine once, I remember her. He chased her away but I do remember her coming through this way a few times. Maybe she lives in one of the abandoned houses or somethin'?"

I smirked. "Good. Now get out of here. We never spoke."

"No problem. The last thing I need is for people to think that I've been helpin' you out of all people. That's a death wish."

I left the men in the alleyway. I doubted the taller one would survive long with the injury I gave him and the shorter one looked like he had the beginnings of the plague by how pale he was. Served him right.

Night soon fell across Dunwall, which made my work much easier. In the shadows I was harder to detect and the darkness helped me locate a place where the witch may have lived. A light shone in the window of a broken-down house not too far away. Smoke rose from the chimney. Someone lived there, whether it was the witch had yet to be seen.

I heard someone hum from inside the house. I tapped the door handle.

Locked.

The humming continued, though it almost fell silent when I rounded the corner and tried my luck with the back door. I was fortunate, though, as the door parted without so much as a creak.

_'Too easy,'_ I thought.

Interestingly, the humming ceased, as did any sign of movement. Caution was the first thought that ran through my mind. She was most likely aware of my presence and even if she wasn't, I wanted to catch her off guard. I wanted to prevent what happened to Ervin.

The fire still burned but there was no trace of the witch. Where could she of gone?

Behind I heard a growl, a deep, low sound. It was the unmistakable growl of a wolfhound. Our eyes met; man to beast. I knew by the way its fangs were shown and ears pulled back that I had no chance. The wolfhound had me.

Without so much as a blink the hound dug its razor-sharp teeth into my ankle. The pain was comparable to that of a hundred daggers continuously piercing my flesh. Even when I bit my arm I still cried out. The pain was so unbearable that I could feel my eyes burn from the tears I refused to let loose.

"Gah!" I screamed and kicked the hound's snout with my other foot.

I managed to set myself free but not for long. My leg was dragged back once more. The hound moved fast and all I could do was hold onto the door frame in an attempt to stop him from dragging me further down the corridor.

"Shit, get off of me you damn mutt!"

I noticed that the light from the fire had been blocked and when I looked left I was met with the sight of leather boots. I didn't get the chance to look up as my vision darkened and all feeling in my body vanished.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_Katherine..._

'By the Outsider, what had I done? How did he find me? Were there others?' were but a few of the thoughts that spiralled through my mind as I paced back and forth from one room to another.

Lucky was, like his name suggested, unharmed. He got kicked by the bastard but it didn't do him any harm, much to my relief. I felt a sharp pain in my right hand and realised that I still had the bowl in my hand. I would of used a knife on the attacker, but the bowl was the first thing that I could get my hands on.

I carefully placed it on the table and stared at the tied up overseer warily. His body clung to the rope that held him in place and his head was tipped forward. There was something about him that was almost familiar; something about his face.

There was a scar that ranged from the top of his cheek to the bottom of his chin, hidden amongst black wiry hair. There was also a bruise on his jaw line. It looked recent. There was a cut on his lip that dripped blood but it didn't look like anything to worry about. The question was: what was I going to do with him?

I couldn't kill him, I wasn't a murderer. Sure, I defended myself but that didn't mean that I could outright kill someone, especially within my own home, or lack of home by the mess he made.

My eyes were drawn to Lucky who held the overseer's mask in his jaw. He dropped it a few inches away from my feet with a whine.

That mask. It gave me nightmares. The way the mouth tilted downward into a sadistic frown and the eye-holes that hid the overseer's eyes, which made it impossible to see the humanity behind them. Shivers ran down my spine and I kicked the mask away. I didn't have the stomach to look at it a moment longer.

"Shit," the man groaned, his head swayed from side to side.

Every muscle in me stiffened. I didn't think that he would wake up so soon.

Lucky's form lowered and he barred his teeth. He was ready to attack if necessary. I knew it was a foolish idea, but I grabbed the bowl anyway. I lost my knife before the overseer's break in and I didn't have time to find it.

The man's eyes widened as he realised where he was. He tugged at the ropes that bound his hands and chest, but inevitably gave up.

"Great one Warren, you got yourself caught, you idiot," he muttered bitterly to himself. He let out a heavy sigh and looked up. His gaze immediately focused on mine.

His lips moved wordlessly, but I made out the word 'you.'

I cleared my throat and hesitantly took a step forward. "Who are you? How did you find me?"

The man didn't answer, instead his eyes surveyed the room and then returned to me.

I took another step forward and raised the bowl. "I won't ask you again!"

"You really think intimidation is gonna work on me, girl?" he asked, his voice raspy and low.

Damn it. "I know you're an overseer and..." realisation dawned on me. "I know you. I've seen your face before."

The man's leg moved and with it a groan of pain passed his lips. He tried to straighten it out but ultimately failed.

There were two large bite marks covered in red. Most of the fabric had been torn from his leg. Lucky did really well injuring him.

"Well, what do you know. It seems you need my help," I said and crossed my arms.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Come on, even you must know how bad your leg is. I'd say you'd have a few days and then you'd no longer be able to use it."

He knew I was right, but damn was he stubborn. "Don't you dare come near me, witch!"

I raised an eyebrow. "Fine, bleed to death, or maybe the plague will get you first?" I placed the bowl on the table and grabbed my journal. "Besides, it isn't like I was going to help you anyway."

I sat back down by the fire with my journal in hand. Lucky stayed by the overseer.

I could tell by the way the chair fidgeted that he tried to untangle himself. I almost wished him luck. Father had a friend that owned a boat on the Docks once. When I was younger I used to go out fishing with him. Let's just say that I knew how to tie something up. He wouldn't be able to break through his binds without a knife, that was for certain.

After an hour I had almost forgotten he was still there. I only realised that he was when Lucky growled.

I turned to glance at the man who, surprisingly, stared right back. Perhaps I should have put the mask back on him, at least then I wouldn't have to see his face.

"So, how did you find me?"

He didn't answer.

"I don't think I made it easy for you to find me. You have that arrogant atmosphere that most higher up overseers have so you must be someone who has done this for a while. Maybe you're just good at your job," I said and stood to face him. "So, do tell. There's no point in keeping it a secret now."

His eyes narrowed but he made no attempt to talk.

I sighed. "Okay, how about we start with a name? I'm Katherine. What's yours?"

"What use is this pointless banter?" he asked without warning. I couldn't help but freeze. "Whatever feeble attempt of witchcraft this is won't work on me, so don't even bother trying."

"Witchcraft? You... you think I'm a witch?"

"Of course you are. Don't even dare deny it."

"Is this something the Abbey made up to get more of their overseers to find me? The last time I checked I wasn't able to cast any spells or disappear by the click of my fingers."

He couldn't seriously think I was a witch. I knew the Abbey brainwashed their followers into believing such nonsense, but was it that bad? It might have been possible.

"You and I both know what you did to Ervin."

"Who's Ervin?"

"The overseer you killed," he spat. There was venom in every word.

I remembered the overseer that the rats killed back in the alley. I didn't see how that had anything to do with me.

"That was the rats. They killed him. I didn't do anything."

I knew by the look on his face that he didn't believe me. I couldn't help but slightly pity him. I could understand the revenge part to an extent.

"What happened to your friend wasn't my fault. You both went after me, remember? I only wanted to search for food. What happened to him was your own fault so don't try to blame me for your mistake."

"How dare you- ah, shit!" he growled when he stamped his injured leg against the ground.

I wanted to look away, but I knew that it would only be an amount of time before it got worse. Besides, it started to make the room smell.

The man watched as I walked into the dining area and ripped a piece of cloth from the bed sheet. I then walked back over to him.

"What are you doing?"

I grabbed his leg and he hissed through his teeth. "Stay still damn it! And stop acting like a baby."

I kept my head down. He probably wanted to kill me there and then.

Once the bed sheet was tied firmly around his leg I turned and made my way back over to my place by the fire.

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with him. I couldn't keep the overseer with me, that was for certain. I couldn't kill him either. I could let him go, but then he could tell the Abbey of my whereabouts or worse kill me when I least expected it. I truly didn't know what to do. A part of me hoped what I experienced was just a dream and that when I woke up the following morning nothing would of happened, and he wasn't tied to that chair.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Overseer Warren..._

By the void she was stupid. To think that she thought that I would tell her everything she wanted to know about myself and the Abbey. She surely couldn't be that stupid, though the fact that she fell asleep hours after an attack proved otherwise. She even tied me to a chair. What interested me, though, was how tied I really was. There was no way I could slip my hands free. In fact, any struggle on my part made the rope tighter.

_Just my luck._

The mutt hadn't moved. He hadn't slept either, just kept his gaze fixed on me. Huh. Definitely a wolfhound from the Abbey. It had the same mannerisms. For one, it was always alert and searched for weakness. It was loyal to the witch though, that was for certain. It must have taken her as its new master. How she got a wolfhound to begin with was a mystery, as was why the wolfhound took her as a master to begin with. Perhaps black magic had something to do with it. Maybe it warped the mutt's mind. I hadn't heard of followers of the Outsider using their powers to influence mutts though, only rats. Still, it was a possibility.

I let out a heavy sigh. Exhaustion had caught up with me and I hadn't eaten since I was last at the Abbey, which was at least two days ago.

My eye caught the glimmer of my sword, propped up against the wall.

_If I was close enough I could grab it,' _I thought.

I looked back at the mutt who hadn't turned its gaze. I rolled my eyes. So much for that plan.

I had to wonder what the witch had planned for me. I had hoped that she would kill me and be done with it, but she hadn't.

She whispered in her sleep, but none of what she said was comprehensible.

She was too calm about it. A normal person, heck anyone would have been on edge after capturing an attacker, but she obviously wasn't. By the Void, she fell asleep! I should have used that to my advantage but with the mutt sat by me there wasn't anything I could do.

There was also the condition my leg was in. I had no idea why the witch had bandaged it up, especially when it was her fault to begin with. I would have thought that a wound like that was a benefit. It meant that a prisoner couldn't escape, that the worse condition they were in, the better. She made no sense.

_Why would she help me?_

It seemed that all I could do was remember the seven scriptures and keep my mind focused. As long as I did that, I would be fine. I would be ready for whatever she had planned.

~~o~~

"Oi! Overseer, wake up," said a voice. No, not just a voice. A woman's voice. There was a hint of uncertainty in it.

I groaned as my eyes flicked open.

"Hello?"

I looked up and scowled. It was morning. Damn it. I must have fallen asleep.

The witch sat on the floor in front of me with a bowl of... something, in her lap. It looked like bread mixed with some sort of porridge. Whatever it was, it looked horrid.

"Good, you're awake," she said and took a spoonful of the slop. "Are you prepared to talk now?"

I didn't answer.

Scripture one: restrict the lying tongue that is like a spark in a man's mouth. It is such a little thing, yet from one spark an entire city may burn to the ground. The father of a lie will suffer a punishment compounded by each person relayed it. Better to live a life of silence than unleash a stream of untruth. The echoes of lies come back as the voice of the Outsider.

She raised an eyebrow. "You're still not going to talk? Really?" She looked back at her mutt and patted him on the head. "Are you hungry?"

_Do not answer, _I reminded myself. Whatever she said was a lie. She could not be trusted.

Slowly, she lowered the bowl onto the floor and pursed her lips. "You look hungry. If you answer one of my questions, I'll give you something to eat."

I turned my head away.

"Huh? I won't poison it. I'll even eat some of it if it'll make you feel any better," she proposed.

I wanted to scoff. Like I was that naive.

The woman sighed and pushed the bowl forward, closer to me.

"I'm not quite sure what to do with you," she sighed with her eyes downcast. "I just want answers. Your order has been hunting me for so long."

The witch stood up from her place and walked over to the partly boarded window. She traced the edge with her finger and shook her head. "I can't let you go. You'd most likely stab me in the back if I did," she muttered, more to herself than to me. "I can't keep you here tied to that chair, either. I could leave you somewhere, but the street gangs would kill you if they saw you and you already know where I live..."

She ran her hand through her hair. "I don't know what to do with you."

I wasn't sure what she tried to prove. Perhaps she wanted me to think she was innocent, that I could learn to trust her. It was a good act, but I wasn't foolish enough to fall for it.

"Just kill me," I said.

Her head span; her eyes wide and mouth parted. "What?"

"If you're done, I'd rather have you slit my throat then continue."

Going back to the Abbey without her was a suicide and I didn't want to be a part of whatever plan she had in mind. I wasn't going to be her puppet. If she was going to kill me, I would rather have it done quickly.

She shook her head and the corners of her mouth twitched. "Is being in my company that bad? I know I've not been around that many people but I can't be that boring," she smirked.

I frowned.

"I'm not going to kill you," she reassured.

It was my turn to be surprised, as well as slightly apprehensive. "And why is that, witch?"

"Because I'm not a murderer."

I scoffed. "Don't lie to me."

She turned from the window and looked me straight in the eye. "I'm no murderer. I'm not you or your damned order. I don't burn down houses and kill families for no reason. I'm not... I'm not you."

"Then what are you? What does one call them self when they join the Outsider?"

Her body tensed and fists clenched. "I do not worship the Outsider! Gods above, I am not that stupid. I heard enough tales about the Outsider when I was younger, and I've learned that any deal with him usually ends with a death, and that death is usually the person with his mark."

Her eyes closed and she leaned back against the wall with her head low. "Do you even know why the Abbey are hunting me?"

I was about to reply, but stopped. There were many offenses: theft, attacks on Overseers, trespassing, but the main one was that she was a worshipper. She claimed she was not one, which I doubted, but if that was true, then why was I sent after her? What made her such a high-priority target?

"You tell me," I said in interest.

"I wish I could, but I know as much as you do, maybe less." Her fingers clung to the chain around her neck. "My family, sister, mother and father were murdered by your order. The Overseers came in the dead of night, without warning and knocked our door down. I heard the noises from my bedroom. It was so loud."

The mutt whined beside her.

"The next thing I knew, smoke rose from underneath my door and I was locked inside my room. There was no way out but the window. I escaped but my family where burned alive."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to blink them away. "I ran away. I left them to their fate. A few months later your order tried to hunt me down, like a damned animal, and yet... I still don't know why."

"The Overseers had reason to do that. If we believed that your family worshipped the Outsider, then they did."

"Or someone gave your order false information," she added. "Someone could have set my family up, and like the idiots you are you did the deed without checking to see if the story was true."

"Hah," I smirked. "I doubt that. Besides, I don't know why you're telling me this. What, do you think I'm going to care about a bunch of traitors that were put to the torch?"

"I just thought that you wanted to catch the real worshippers instead of killing an innocent. After all, whoever wanted my family killed and gave the Abbey the proof they needed is still out there."

"If that's true."

"Which it could be, but you won't know unless you trust me."

I bit the inside of my cheek. Damn it. This was going to be difficult.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_Katherine..._

In the dawn of the city, mist descended upon the cobbled streets like wildfire, but there was neither warmth nor glow like the promise of fire brought. The chill of the air became more prominent and nipped at the flesh with little resistance. The sun had yet to appear over the ravaged houses, but remnants of the light, shown in thick streams, was cast on the many pools of water that had overflowed the street's drains and sewers. Further down, the water had joined with other pools to create a vast lake that covered the stone path and left the water murky and poisoned. Even the light wave of rain wasn't enough to purge its filth.

Our boots were heavy in the mud and a swift glance to my side showed the little care the Overseer had for his clothing, especially in such conditions.

His glare back was not a surprise, but it was not as intense and as full of hatred as when we first met.

"You know, some would consider cutting a captive's bonds foolish," he said with a hint of amusement. His lips tugged into a one sided smirk that seemed forced and fiendish and was enough to send a chill through the bones and to deter my gaze from his.

"Some people should learn to mind their own business," I replied.

His glare had not faltered and I had to wonder what his intention was.

"If you wish to kill me then go right ahead," I said. "Not only would you have a very angry hound to deal with but you'd also never know if you murdered an innocent or not."

The Overseer's laugh was faint, almost like a chuckle, but there was an underline meaning to it. "I don't think your death would rest too heavily on my conscience."

"Maybe," I said. "But you seem like the type of man that would care whether what he did was right or not. That if there was something you left behind, maybe a question left unanswered, that it would gnaw at you until you have no choice but to go back and find out what the answer was."

"And how would you know that?"

"I'm quite good at reading people."

I halted by the nearest wall and peered around the corner. The mist had cleared slightly and wasn't as thick as it was. There was no movement and I heard no sound other than the distant echo of broken glass and a fierce shout. We were close to one of the street gang's known hideouts and had to be cautious.

"May I?" I asked as I rounded the corner.

"Hah, be my guest."

I halted in my stride and turned to face him. At first all he responded with was an arched eyebrow, but then his posture straightened and he lifted his head in his imitation of a soldier's stance.

_This man really is bigheaded, _I thought and raised my head in return.

"You're prideful, definitely stubborn natured and I suppose that you're quite skilled at combat since you've made it to where I live without much trouble, though I haven't seen much of your skills yet."

"You got all that from one look?" he asked. "I'm so surprised. You can see my fingers tremble. Really."

"I wasn't finished, Overseer," I said and folded my arms. "You're hateful to the Outsider, more so than others in your order. You seemed to hold more force with me when you thought I was a worshipper, so I'm going to guess that something traumatic happened to you in your past that led you to hate such people, not that I blame you."

His arched eyebrow rose slightly higher, but apart from that he kept his impassive expression.

_Were all Overseers that emotionless?_

"And? That's it?"

I shrugged and returned to walk. "I'm still trying to figure you out. Give me a while and I'll tell you something else."

"If it gets you to shut up then fine," he muttered.

"Hmm. You're also impatient."

"I'm not impatient."

"Impatient when with company then?"

The Overseer's angular jaw clenched and he rubbed his brow with a gloved hand. "By the Void-"

"I was just making a joke. Something to pass the time, Overseer."

"Time would pass much faster if you were dead."

"Okay, now it's your turn to shut up."

As we wandered through the many deserted streets, my nerves began to take control. I could feel them gather and crawl through the pit of my stomach. The feeling was enough to make me feel uneasy.

"So, are you going to tell me who we are looking for?" the Overseer asked.

I took my map from out of my jacket pocket and spread it across an iron gate. It was not the only piece of paper there though. The webbed bars were scattered with many wanted posters; some of an assassin, others of leaders of street gangs and suspected witches. It was strange that my face was not one of them. What caught my attention was the poster of a cloaked gentleman who wore an outlandish and dark mask. Similar to an Overseer's mask, the eyes were hidden under a layer of glass and the mouth had no lip carvings, but instead stitches that ran over the top and lower edges. He did not look like a man I wished to cross paths with.

"Huh," the Overseer uttered. "I thought they would have found him by now."

"Who?"

He raised a finger to the masked man's face and then dragged it down to his name. "Corvo Attano. The Empress' bodyguard, or the Lord Protector. Not so lordly now though."

"I've heard of him," I said. "He killed her, did he not?"

"That's pretty obvious. Last time I checked, the price for his head was lower than that. It's doubled. I wonder how my brothers are doing in the search for him."

"If they're having as much luck as you are then not that much," I smirked and pointed to a place on the map. "We're here. The family we're looking for is called Leighton. Their part of the aristocracy and, if I'm correct, live in the better parts of Dunwall. They have a mansion in the estate district, but it'll be too difficult to get there."

"Then why are we in this part of the Distillery District?"

"They owned another mansion here that they used to smuggle Tyvian wine and, interestingly, strange objects made out of ice seal tusks. I managed to obtain information from a survivor who worked at the docks that the objects had an unusual marking on them."

"So, we're hunting this highly important family who may or may not have given my order false information because they imported fancy wine and rocks?" he asked.

I sighed and re-folded the map. "I know that the Leighton family were the ones who told your order about my family. I also know that they gave your order the evidence they needed to have them killed. Their activities may not be suspicious to you, but there's something about their operation that's peculiar. I don't know why. I guess you could call it a gut instinct."

"Or paranoia," he whispered.

"Why did I not kill you when I had the chance?" I groaned.

"Ironic considering I've been thinking the same thing," the Overseer added.

Through the darker alleyways, the occasional shadow of a person leaked across the ground. The silence was disrupted with rhythmic patters, splashes, the sharp creaks of wooden boards as the wind knocked them back from window panes and rattles inside sealed dumpsters. Though the sounds concerned me, the illusion of the shadows was consumed by my calmness. I did not fear the dark, for the dark was my only savior. In times, the darkness was the only thing that separated me from a sharpened blade. It consumed. It protected. It fooled those who sought me out. It was a place that I could be at peace and not have to worry about pursuers, dangers or Overseers.

"You really do need to calm down," I suggested.

The Overseer kept his attention fixed on our surroundings, like a hawk does with a potential meal. His hand skimmed the side of his waist and it was only when it met empty space that he looked my way.

He looked down at my waist and frowned. "Was it really necessary to keep my sword?"

"It was you who said that it was foolish to cut your bindings. I'm not stupid enough to give you a weapon," I replied.

He rolled his shoulders back and took a step closer. "If I wanted you killed, I would not need a sword to do it."

I, too, took a step forward until we were only a foot away from each other. "Then you won't need your weapon now, will you?"

His empty hands curled into fists by his sides. "I won't ask again."

"Neither will I hand it over."

"Oh, trust me. You'll want to."

I raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

A pained groan struck the air like lightening splits the fabric of the sky. Slow, almost clumsy movements faded out of the darkness and away from the swarm of dead rats by its feet. Tattered rags slid across the ground; dragged by the ghostly pale body they were attached to. Milky eyes; emotionless, without life and covered with crimson tears focused on our forms. Our appearance seemed to spire some sort of eagerness or excitement within the husk of the man as his pace doubled. His disfigured foot dragged closely behind. Black tar dripped from his mouth like saliva and a trail of flies clung to the deep wounds in his chest. He was a weeper. A man who had succumbed to the effects of the rat plague and was in the final stage before death.

"Shit!" I cursed and madly fumbled with my belt.

The Overseer gritted his teeth and grabbed my arm. "Give me the sword."

"Get off me," I yelled and shoved him back.

The cries of the weeper became louder as did his heavy steps. I could see his hand out of the corner of my eye and took several steps back.

"You should have brought the damned mutt," the Overseer said.

"Now is not the time for this!"

As I got the sword free, the weeper had ghosted my arm with its hand. I stumbled back and raised the sword.

The Overseer had found himself a metal pole from one of the nearby dumpsters and, with a grunt, smashed the side over the weeper's head. The weeper gave out another cry and reached to touch the newly formed gash within its skull.

I noticed the Overseer's frown deepen and eyes widen. I followed his gaze to a shadow that moved towards me. More moans joined the weeper like a battle chant and it was difficult to break free from the shock of its appearance.

"Witch," the Overseer called. "Move. You're going to die if you don't!"

I shook my head. As the stiffness faded from my body, my grip on the sword tightened. The weeper woman used her arm as a spear and as she veered from one slash to another, her gaunt face twisted into a feral scowl. Both arms were thrown forward. The large limbs were only deflected by my blade's vertical slant.

Behind, the Overseer twisted the iron spike across his body in keen, straight movements. As the weeper lunged for his throat, the Overseer waited. When the creature was but a foot away, he stepped to the side and struck a heavy blow to its spine. He slapped the end of his pole against its face, chest and back, over and over again. The ground was painted with each blow.

The woman's hands wound round my sword like rope and yanked it through her opened arm. My legs stumbled to gain balance. The weeper's mouth opened and she readied to bite my shoulder.

"No," I cried.

The woman jumped back with an ungodly wail. Her nails scraped her neck and jaw. I let out a heavy breath, rubbed my elbow and steadied the shaking of my hands. My fingers curled around the hilt and were raised above my shoulders.

The woman blinked twice; confused about the object in its chest. As her knees buckled I kept a firm yet steady grip on the blade. The sword left her body and she slumped forward.

"About bloody time," I sighed and gripped my ached knees.

Behind, I felt the growing presence of a man and could see their blurry reflection through the pools beneath my feet. With a held breath, I brought the sword past my chest and span round. Steel clanked against iron.

"Overseer?" I stuttered.

"Witch," was his reply.

Slowly, we released the hold on our weapons and stood before each other in silence.

"There's blood on you," I said.

"And you," he replied and tapped the side of his unshaven face.

With a grimace, I wiped away at my cheek with my sleeve and re-attached the sword to my belt.

"Don't you think it would be wise to give me my weapon back?" he asked.

I shook my head. "You can handle yourself without it. You just proved that now."

"Great."

The Overseer wandered over to the weeper corpses and gently kicked the male with the tip of his boot. He pushed the chin up and forced the body to lie on its back.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Trying to determine how long these were here for and if there are more," he explained.

"And?"

"See his stomach? Our friend here is too well fed to be part of a large group. No, these were stragglers. Perhaps married before the plague took them. Well, they're dead now. Good riddance."

"That's a bit of a cruel way of thinking, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "Maybe, but they attacked first. As far as I see it, they deserved it."

Sorrow and pity tugged at my heart strings at the sight of them. They may have been weepers, but they were once like us.

"We should get going, unless you wish to stay here," I said.

"If I must," the Overseer replied before we walked further through the narrow alleyway and away from the soon to be rat's meal.

It was several hours before we had managed to find the place I believed the Leighton family owned. My eyes roamed the many windows and doorways. The tiles on the worn roof were jagged and uneven. Some lay on the ground in shattered piles for the rats to bury through. The window panes held no glass, only empty space were the moth-ridden curtains flowed gently in the breeze. The bricks were also in no better condition, for some were missing while others left large scars and cracks that branched from one large stem to another; comparable to a charcoal tree's design.

It was difficult to believe that the place used to be different, perhaps better, but then I remembered who owned the property and all the surprise and disappointment disappeared.

As we stepped through the doorway, the walls peeled from the dampness and insects thrived within the oak floor.

"We're here," the Overseer said. "Now I suppose you want me to search this place for anything that could relate to your family's death?"

"You read me like a book."

"Don't go too far, Witch. If this proves to be a waste of time-"

"I'll die, I got it. Now get looking," I said and then left him to wander up the uneven staircase to one of the rooms.

It appeared to be a study. There were no beds, only a desk and chair. Long forgotten papers and parchments scattered the floor and even more were left carelessly on the desk.

_So, where to begin? _I wondered.

My fingers gently ghosted the many letters the lord of the Leighton family once wrote. Some were even written before the rat plague had found its way to Dunwall and some were addressed to the empress Jessamine Kaldwin herself, though it seemed that he never got a reply. After a while it seemed that none of the documents held any information about my family, nor the Outsider. Just as I was about to leave the room, the painting hung above the desk caught my attention. Gauzy, translucent webbing clung to the rest of the room, furniture and all like a life line, but the painting of Tyvia was not. In fact, a part from the fine layer of dust on the bronze frame, it looked relatively untouched. How interesting.

With a grunt, I removed the painting from the wall and lowered it carefully to the floor. In its place was a safe fitted into a hole in the wall and, luckily, the combination was written in large letters on the back of the painting.

_1~5~3_

The safe clicked and opened.

A strange sound filled my ears. It was a low humming, like the song of crickets in the night but somehow much more enchanting. It reminded me of happier times and brought such memories to the surface. I could hear the faint whisper of my father's voice. I could almost see his face look down at me and then to my sister and mother on the docks. They were smiling. They were happy. They were... alive.

"Witch?"

"Huh?" I looked up. The Overseer was stood by the doorway with a confused expression. When I looked down, I noticed that a stone rested in my palm. It's tune had not ceased, but it was quiet enough to almost miss.

"What have you got there?" he asked cautiously. It seemed that perhaps holding a stone like it was some magical object was not the best thing to do in front of an Overseer.

Carefully, as if the stone was fragile and could crack with the slightest touch, I placed it in his hand. The Overseer glanced down. All colour visibly trained from his cheeks and his mouth went slack.

"Err... Overseer?"

"Where did you get this?" he demanded in a harsh growl. The anger he had when we first met was back and in more force.

"I found it in the safe," I said and held my hands up. "I swear I had nothing to do with it."

Without a care, he shoved me out of the way and pressed his hand firmly against the safe. "Here? You found it here?"

"Yes?"

As the Overseer turned the stone about in his hand, I caught a glimpse of the marking carved into the center and felt my heart skip a beat. "I've read about that symbol, but that's not possible. That is unless I was right."

He did not reply.

"It's true, isn't it? What is that thing? Tell me what it is!"

"It's a rune, understand?" the Overseer shouted back. "It's... it's a rune..." his fingers curled around the stone protectively and he pressed his head against the safe's steel, "and it belongs to the Outsider."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_Overseer Warren..._

The fireplace burned dimly with old books that's pages curled and blackened into patches of ash and soot. It sent warmth and light throughout the room. Pots and pans of iron, and of copper and black tin hung from the rafters and plates scattered the floor from the previous meal, if someone could call it that. A cook would not see it as food but as dirt to feed to the hounds, but for my tastes, it wasn't too bad.

As the light from the day streaked through the partly boarded window, I decided to walk over to it and lift the spare board up and fit it into place. The room became darker because of it but the fire more than compensated for it.

As I sat back down in the blanket-covered chair and with my mask placed on a nearby table, I couldn't help but try to distract myself from the object in my pocket. It burned. I could feel it beckon to escape; the chiming never ceased. It was a plague on the mind and cut away at my self-restraint.

My hand slowly slid into my pocket.

How I wanted to throw it away and to forget it existed. It was a curse. The black markings engraved into its center seemed to mock me and my grip on the Void-saken object tightened.

"You should rest," the Witch said. "You've been looking at that for hours now. You take it out of your pocket, stare at it and then put it back. It's quite strange."

"I can't," I said and looked away. "It is my duty to return it to the Abbey."

"Then maybe you should rest."

My glare back was my answer.

She gave a small shrug and covered her mouth as she yawned. "Suit yourself. I just cannot afford liabilities. Even you have to sleep sometime and I'd rather have it now then when we're out there."

I leaned further back in the chair. "And what makes you so sure that I will come with you?"

She cocked her head to the side. "Why wouldn't you? You do need to catch these people, yes?"

"I can go back to my order and they can carry on from there."

"But they won't."

"What makes you say that?" I asked in slight interest.

"The Leighton family are highborns. You know, influential, wealthy?"

I scoffed. "No position prevents Overseers from doing their job. Justice will be done."

"Justice?" She frowned. "No, it won't. Not for me. Besides your order will simply think that you went mad and will go back to blaming me for it. The Leightons will realise that not all my family died and will send people to come for me. I already have Overseers on my back. I don't need assassins or bounty hunters too."

It frustrated me to think that she had a point. Due to my lack of success with her capture and with what happened to... Ervin, how guilt still haunted my dreams because of it, it was more than possible that my brothers would not believe or even listen to me. In truth, I knew I had no chance with Brother Devitt. The fool hated me. He would convince the others that what I said was nonsense and, because of his rank, they were honour-bound and obligated to agree. Curse him.

An idea slowly formed in my mind. There was still the option to capture the Witch and send her back to the Abbey. Maybe the Leightons weren't responsible and she simply hid the rune inside the safe to fool me.

_No,_ I thought. That couldn't have been possible. I saw the hold the object had on her and the way she reacted was with pure surprise. Besides, I could not take the easy way out. That would go against all that I learned, all that I knew and would leave what was left of Dunwall to the Leighton's will. I could not allow that to happen. I would not.

As my fingers uncurled, the rune's ringing continued. I had heard of some that would consider the noise a melody. When I was younger, I saw first-hand what a rune such as that could do to a person. A man was brought into the Abbey and we were to observe his reactions when it was torn from his hands. The man was mad. He seemed patient, even calm at first, but when the Warfare Overseer touched the stone, the man's demeanour changed completely. He fought the other Overseers and chanted mad ramblings that barely made any sense. After a while he was put down but the way he reacted and the way the stone had such control over him gave me nightmares for many weeks. I wondered if I even had the willpower to carry such a burden until the Leighton's were brought to justice.

"You should rest," the Witch repeated. There was a hint of emotion in her eyes. It looked like... concern. Hmm. Interesting.

"You rest, Witch," I said.

"It's Katherine, not witch, and I don't trust you."

"Nor I you, but do not worry. I will not kill you this night."

"Has my charming personality finally won you over?" She smiled.

I couldn't help but laugh at that and shook my head. "Not tonight, Witch."

"Then curiosity to see if what I say is true?"

_Curiosity?_ I thought. _Yes, perhaps it was._

With the rune back in my pocket, I took hold of my mask and twirled it around in my hands. The light caught its gold colour and created several shapes on the walls and floor.

"What do you plan to do now? Go to the Estate District and break into the Leighton home?" I asked.

"No," she replied. "I actually have a plan."

"You do?"

"Of course. I've had many months to plan this, you know. I've just not had the chance to put my plan to practise." She took out her map and rolled it out on the wooden floor. Iron cups were placed on either edge to keep the map still while she marked off areas with her quill. "Believe it or not, there is a small community of survivors that live in the deeper parts of the sewers. Don't ask how I came across them but know that I have a few friends down there that might be able to help us get to the highborns."

I learned further over my seat to get a better look and pointed to the Eastern part of the Distillery District. "You want us to go past John Clavering Boulevard? The City Watch has that place quarantined. Slipping past the men there won't be easy."

"But you're an Overseer, are you not? You could pass through with ease and could take me with you."

"Perhaps but the City Watch aren't exactly pleasant towards my order."

"I'm sure you will think of something, Overseer." She re-folded the map and set it to one side. "The sewer system is located on the riverbank, past the small docking area. If we can get past the guards then it'll be simple finding the entrance. I covered it in fishing net to avoid others from finding it."

"Then shouldn't we be going now?"

She shook her head. "It's better to leave at dusk. We'll attract less attention that way."

"Fine," I said and covered my brow with my hand. My eyes were heavy and I could feel the affects of exhaustion claim me. "You better not slice my throat while I sleep, Witch."

"I wouldn't even dream of it, Overseer."


End file.
